As part of the integration into the franchise, every new member of the OKC Thunder visits the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Players, coaches, management all get to understand immediately that they haven’t just joined a new team they’ve become a member of the city and community.
It’s what separates OKC from the other 29 teams in the Association. There is a communal tie that can’t be replicated by large market organizations. And that’s not a slight to those markets — it’s simply the reality of the situation.
Each franchise has its own history and community stories.